Call-answering meter for cord-circuits.



H. n. CURRIER, CALL ANSWERING METER FOR CORD CIRCUITS. APPLICATION FILEDSEPT. 19, I914. RENEWED JULY 7' I9l6.

Patnted Jan. 1 1918.

2/ 2072755555: Jim/51777.27

{M ETEZUHILZZTZPIE u g gg f EZTUPHE N UNITED 3TATE PATENT OFFICE,

HIRAM D. CUBRIEB, 0F CI-IICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO KELLOGGSWI'ICI-IBOARD & SUPPLY COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, CORPORATIONOF'ILLINOIS.

CALL-ANSWERING METER FOR CORD-CIRCUITS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan.1,19%18.

Application filed September 19, 1914, Serial No. 862,465. Renewed July7, 1916. Serial No, 197,974.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HIRAM D. CURRIER, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Call-Answering Meters for Cord Circuits, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to call answering meteIs for cord circuits and hasfor its object the provision of an improved circuit arrangement andimproved apparatus for actuating such a meter. 7

In one form of use of my invention it is applied to a telephoneswitchboard to count the number of calls initiated by subscribers and isfamiliarly styled in the art as a peg count metering system. lvlyimproved apparatus as associated with a cord circuit comprises in itspreferred form a locking relay which actuates the meter and at the sametime prevents reactuation due to subsequent movement of the switchhookeither on the part of the called subscriber or calling subscriber.

I will describe this particular form which my invention may take byreferring to the accompanying drawing which represents diagrammaticallya telephone system equipped with my improved metering service.

In this drawing I show two substation A and B as united respectively bymeans of line conductors 1 and 2 with a central exchange C. Thesubstation has the usual common battery apparatus as is clear from theillustration and the line circuit of each line terminates in the linerelay 3 and cut off relay 4, all as well understood. I have alsoillustrated a cord circuit having answering plug 5 and the calling plug6 suitably provided with answering supervisory relays and 8 and callingsupervisory relays 9 and 10. An operators set 11 is adapted forassociation with the cord circuit through the agency of the relay 7 byvirtue of the switch elements 12 and 13 and their corresponding frontcontacts 14 and 15. This cord circuit is adapted again for disconnectionupon actuation of the relay 9 by virtue of the switch elements 16 and 17and their corresponding back contacts 18 and 19.

Assuming now that the subscriber at station A has initiated a call,thereby operating the relay 3, then the insertion of the plug sertion ofthe plug 5 completes a circuit from a locking relay 24, which circuitcan be traced from the ground at 25 through armature 21, contact 22,conductor 26, normal contact 27 of the relay 24, spring contact 28,through the 4000 ohm relay 24, by way of conductor 29, contact 14,contact spring 12, contact spring 16, contact 18, relay 9, throughbattery to ground at 30. The relay 24 is thus actuated to attract itsarmature 31 and also its armature 32, The relay 9 at this time does notoperate, due to the high resistance of the locking relay 24. Theattraction of the armature 32 closes a circuit from battery through themeter magnet 33, thus actuating the meter 34. The attraction of thearmature 31 however completes a locking circuit from the relay 24 whichcan be traced from the ground at 35 by way of armature 31, springcontact- 28, relay 24, conductor 29, over the previously traced circuitto the ground at 30. Repeated successive actuations of the switchho-okat the substation A will thus not cause additional actuations of therelay 24.

After the plug 6'has been inserted, the relay 9 is actuated thereuponbreaking the connection to the relay 24 at the contacts 16 and 18, thuspermitting relay 24 to restore and preventing its successive actuationso long as plug 6 remains within the jack of the called subscriber.

After the termination of conversation and before the disconnection ofthe answering and calling plugs, should the calling subscriber atsubstation A wish to recall the subscriber 'thereat flashes theswitch-hook which, in turn, flashes the supervisory signal 23, as iswell understood. The operator noting the signal flashing withdraws thecalling plug 6 from the connected jack of the called line and therebyconnects her operators set 11 to the cord conductors to inquire thewants of the recalling subscriber. The withdrawal of the calling plugbrings about the deenergization of the relay 9 and the closing of normalcontact 16 again establishes an energizing circuit for the locking relay24 over the circuit previously described. The relay 2% brings about theoperation of the meter magnet 33 to operate the re ister 84 once andagain locks up, as previously described, to prevent further operation ofthe register should the recalling subscriber continue to flash hisswitchhook. The insertion of the calling plug 6 into the jack of thecalled line opens the circuit of relay 2% and its successive actuationsare prevented as long as plug 6 remains in the connected jack.

From what has been described the nature of my invention will be clearand it will also be clear that the specific illustration herein is forillustrative purposes only.

Having however thus described one form .which my invention may take,what I claim as new and desire to'secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A system of the character described comprising a subscribers line, acord circuit adapted for association therewith, a meter for theanswering side of said cord circuit,

means including a self-locking relay controlled by the insertion of aplug in a jack and by the operative condition of the callingsubscribers' line to actuate said meter, and a relay associated withsaid cord circuit controlled by the insertion of the calling plug in ajack to prevent reactuation of said relay during the continuance of saidconnection.

2. A system of the character described comprising a subscribers line, acord circuit adapted for association therewith, a meter for theanswering side of said cord circuit, means including a self-lockingrelay controlled by the insertion of a plug in a jack and by theoperative condition of the calling subscribers line to actuate saidmeter, and a relay associated with said cord circuit controlled by theinsertion of the calling plug in a jack to prevent reactuation of saidrelay during the continuance of said connection, said means including acalling supervisory relay.

3. A telephone system comprising a subscribers line, a link circuit forconnection therewith, a meter for said link circuit, relay forcontrolling said meter, automatic means including a pair of answeringsupervisory relays for actuating said relay, and

means controlled by the insertion of the calling plug of said linkcircuit 1n a pick to prevent reactuation of said meter control relay. 7

4. A telephone system comprising a callmg subscribers l1ne, a linkcircuit for con 'nection therewith, a meter associated with said linkcircuit, a control relay for actuat- "ing said meter, means including ananswering tip and an answering sleeve relay for actuating said metercontrol relay, and a re lay controlled by the connection of said linkcircuit to a called subscribers line for preventing the reactuation ofsaid meter control. relay. V

5. Atelephone system comprising a calling and a called subscribers line,a link circuit for connecting said lines, a meter for said link circuit,a control relay for actuating said meter, means controlled by theconnection of said link circuit to the said calling subscribers line andby the operative condition of said calling s'ubscribers line to actuatesaid meter control relay, and means responsive to the connection of saidlink circuit to said called subscribers line for rendering the saidmeter control relay 'ineifective.

6. A system of the character described comprising a calling" subscribersline, a cord circuit adapted for association. therewith, a meter forsaid cord circuit, and automatic means controlled by the insertion of aplug in a jack and by the operative condition of the calling subscribersline to actuate said meter, said means including a self-locking relaycontrolled by a p'air'of answering supervisory relays.

7. A telephone system including a subscribers line, a link circuit forconnection therewith, a service meter associated with said link circuit,dili'erent means for operating said service meter depending upon whetherthe call to be registered is an original call or a recall.

8. A telephone system. including a calling and a. called subscribersline, a link circuit provided with an answering and a calling terminalfor connecting said lines, a service meter for said link circuit, meansdependent upon the operative condition of said calling line and upon theinsertion of said answering terminal into the jack of the said callingline for operating the said service meter, and means depending upon theoperative condition of said calling line and the removal of the saidcalling terminal from the jack of said called line for re-operating saidservice meter.

9. A telephone system comprising a calling and a called line, a linkcircuit for connecting said lines, a meter associated with said linkcircuit, means controlled by the connection of said link circuit to saidcalling line for operating said meter, and means controlled by thedisconnection of said link circuit from said called line forsubsequently operating the said meter to register a recall.

10. A telephone system comprising subscribers lines, a link circuit forinterconnecting said lines, a service meter associated with said linkcircuit, means including circuits controlled by the answering terminalof said link circuit for operating said meter,

and means including circuits controlled by the calling terminal of saidlink circuit for again operating the said meter.

11. A telephone system including a calling and a called subscribersline, a link circuit provided with a pair of terminals for connectingsaid lines, a service meter for said link circuit, means controlled bythe insertion of one of said terminals into the jack of said Callingline for operating said service meter, and means controlled by thedisconnection of the other of said terminals from the jack of saidcalled line for again operating said service meter.

12. A telephone system comprising a calling and a called subscribersline, a link cir cuit provided with a pair of terminal plugs forconnecting said lines, a service meter associated with said linkcircuit, means including apparatus controlled by one terminal of saidlink circuit for operating said meter, and means including apparatuscontrolled by the other terminal of said link circuit for subsequentlyoperating the said meter.

13. An operators link circuit provided with a pair of terminals, a pairof supervisory relays associated with one of said terminals, asupervisory relay associated with the other of said terminals, means forenergizing the said pair of supervisory relays for operating a servicemeter, and means for subsequently deenergizing the said thirdsupervisory relay for re-operating the said service meter.

14. A telephone system including an operators link circuit provided withan answering and a calling terminal, a pair of supervisory relaysassociated with the answering terminal thereof, a third supervisoryrelay associated with the calling terminal thereof, a service meterassociated with the said link circuit, means for energizing all of saidsupervisory relays, means controlled by the energization of thesupervisory relays associated with the answering terminal of said linkcircuit for operating the said service meter, and means controlled bythe subsequent deenergization of the supervisory relay associated withthe calling end of said link circuit for again operating the saidservice meter.

15. An operators link circuit provided with a pair of terminals, a pairof supervisory relays associated with one of said terminals, asupervisory relay associated with the other of said terminals, a servicemeter, means for energizing the said pair of supervisory relays foroperating said service meter, means for energizing said othersupervisory relay for preventing further actuation of said servicemeter, and means for subsequently deenergizing said third supervisoryrelay for re-operating said service meter.

16. An operators link circuit provided with a pair of terminals,supervisory relays associated with one of said terminals, a supervisoryrelay associated with the other of said terminals, a service meter,subscriber controlled means for energizing one of said first supervisoryrelays to operate said service meter, means for energizing saidsupervisory relay associated with the other of said terminals to rendersaid subscriber controlled means inoperative, and operator controlledmeans for denergizing said last supervisory relay to re-operate saidservice meter.

17. A telephone system including an operators link circuit, an operatorstelephone associated with said link circuit, a service meter, meansresponsive to the connection of said operators telephone with said linkcircuit to operate said service meter, means controlled by thedisconnection of said operators set from said link circuit for renderinginoperative the control circuit of said service meter, and means forreconnecting said operators telephone to said link circuit forre-operating said service meter.

18. A telephone system including an operators link circuit, an operatorstelephone for connection with said link circuit, a service meter, meansfor operating said service meter controlled by the connection of saidoperators telephone with said link circuit, and means for disconnectingsaid operators telephone from said link circuit thereby rendering theoperating circuit for said service meter inoperative.

Signed by me at Chicago, county of Cook and State of Illinois, in thepresence of two witnesses.

HIRAM D. CURRIER.

Witnesses:

GEORGE E. MUELLER, M. R. ROCHFORD.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

